Saw-doctor to close

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33601, 1 August 1974, Page 3

Saw-doctor to close

When Mr Arthur J. Vivian shuts the door of the little shop at 171 Gloucester Street behind him tomorrow, he will close a family business based there for 80 years. His uncle’s father, Mr William Cameron, opened the saw-doctoring shop just west of Manchester Street, and it became probablv the best-known firm of its tjpe in Christchurch.

Generations of small boys have gazed in fascination through the window at the men inside working on huge circular saw blades up to 60in wide ! Manv of them have re-| turned, as butchers, carpenters. and just “do-it-yourselfers,” to have saws sharpened and set i When Mr Cameron retired., the firm ran under the name of Mr Arthur Vivian's brother, Mr S. J. Vivian, who died about' five years ago. Latterly! it has been under Mr! Arthur Vivian’s name, and for the last two] vears and a half he has been the sole member of! the staff. At one time the shop had, three staff. BIG OVERHEADS Mr Arthur Vivian, who has worked in the narrow little shop for 44 years, blames high overheads for closing the business. Although there were! three similar firms in Christchurch, work was! plentiful, he said. Overheads in the city centre are now crippling for such a business, and at! 64. Mr Vivian is not prepared to contemplate 1

. starting again on a new, out-of-town site. Instead, he will retire to enjoy his Takamatua holiday home, his golf, and a trip with his wife. But, he says, he may also do some “casual” sawsetting work from time to time—he has certainly had no lack of requests among the hundreds of messages of good wishes which have come in from customers. CHANGES SEEN The business has gone! through several changes: in his 44 years, he says.; The emphasis has shifted I from individual clients and hand-saws, to indus-! trial and commercial clients, and power-saws. Many of the butchers who were frequent customers now use power bandsaws: and when a bandsaw becomes blunt, it is! usually discarded. The mills which once sent in! their huge breaking-| down saw blades now

employ their own sawdoctors on the staff. But the biggest change, Mr Vivian says, is the retreat of small service businesses such as his from the central city because of rocketing rates and overheads. Mr Vivian has done work for clients all over the South Island. “NOT INTERESTED” Manv people had asked him why he did not train a young man to carry on the business, he said.: But today few young' men were interested in such a slow, painstaking and methodical job. They could earn more money for less effort and concentration by going elsewhere. The little shop that has been a minor Christchurch landmark for so long will become part of the antique shop of R. G. Bell and Company, now next door. - .